Hi No Mizu
by Lady Zahara
Summary: Hundred years before the war started, Aang was told he had to move for his training, not knowing he was the Avatar. We restart our tale in the Southern Water Tribe, a hidden nation, even hidden from the Avatar himself. AU Zutara, Hidden Tempest, Pt.1
1. Chapter 1

Water, Earth, Fire, Air. These are the four elements that construct our world. Once the Four nations lived in harmony, but everything changed when the Fire nation attacked. Only the Avatar master of all four elements could stop them, so they struck first. Every Air Nomad was captured and killed, none of them the Avatar. A hundred years later everyone assumed the cycle had been broken, or at least wanted to believe it was so. Still ravaged by war, the Southern Water tribe struggled to survive with their small numbers. It is here where our story begins.

Wind rushed past the empty village, beckoning those who still lingered in the South pole to stay inside. Small, yet warm, the community stayed strong, determined to hide for the duration for the war. If they just stayed quiet long enough they could continue living the way they had for hundreds of years, peaceful and isolated from the rest of the world. The only trace of the war was the missing fathers of several families. In these desperate times it was best to stick together and live quietly, that is what the whole village thought. At least they thought they all did. Katara sat on the frost bitten metal looking out to the Northern waters and sighed.

"I wonder what it's like out there." She mumbled. Ever since her father left she wondered. Where had he gone? What was it like? Not that she'd tell anyone else. It would break her grandmother's heart if she knew her only granddaughter wanted to leave. And her brother? He would sooner cut his 'warrior' tail than let her leave. After all it was his job to make sure she was safe and at home. But home stopped feel as warm when her mother died. It just reminded her that they lived on a chunk of ice away from everybody else, where nothing ever happened.

"Katara, there you are!" Sokka shouted, running over the iced island. "Gran gran's been looking all over for you, what are you doing out here?"

"I was just… looking at the water." She sighed.

"Forget that and get down from there before you get hurt." Sokka called.

"I've done this a million times Sokka." Katara bantered as she stood, careful not to slip on the iron. "It's not like anyone's inside or anything."

"Yeah, well you'll still get in trouble if anyone finds you here." Sokka shook his head, "I mean really what's so cool about an old Fire Navy ship?"

"You're not going to tell anyone will you?" She asked edging towards the main deck of the rusting ship.

"And admit I came here as well, fat chance!"

"Thanks Sokka, I really feel the love." Katara said, the stiff wind blowing her braid into her face.

"Eh, what are brothers for?" Sokka shrugged.

"I don't know you tell me." She pulled her hair into her hood only to slip on the ice.

"KATARA!" Sokka shouted, her rushed to the ship boarding to see his sister in an awkward heap. "Have you done this a million times?" He snickered.

"No!" Katara pouted, her hair once again falling in her face. "Oh stop laughing and help me up!"

"Yeah, sure thing sis." Sokka offered a hand to his disheveled sister and lifted her up.

"Ow!" Katara cried as she stood.

"What you didn't break a bone or anything did you?"

"No, my foot got caught on something when you helped me up." A large groan came from the ship.

"That doesn't sound good." Sokka said, turning slowly to the center of the ship as it began to split in two. "I think we should run." He said. The two siblings ran down the steps, ducking into the snow as a small star shot into the air high above the ice bergs.

-F&W-

"What on Earth was that?" A crew member asked, turning to his co-workers in hopes of a explanation of the large explosion they heard. All he saw though were bewildered looks and a small flame in the distance. A loud bang sounded through the small vessel. A young man stormed onto the main deck glaring at his crew, despite one of his eyes was covered by a drooping scarf.

"Why have we stopped moving!" Zuko shouted, his heated stare softened as he watched the flame to the south dwindle. He grabbed a nearby telescope to get a closer look at the source of the flame. "We're taking a short detour." Grumbled the prince, he turned to the captain. "Set course for the source of the flare." The older solider grunted in response to Zuko's demand and ordered the crew to carry the message. The Dragon of the West made his way to the deck.

"Why the sudden detour nephew?" Iroh asked.

"If someone has captured one of our ships, they must have powerful benders." Zuko replied. "It's not hard to imagine the avatar hiding away from everyone else to master the four elements." His uncle nodded solemnly as his nephew retreated into the ship. "Let me know when we arrive." As he walked into his quarters Zuko slammed his fist against the wall. His search for the Avatar was becoming increasingly desperate. All of the air temples had already been cleared out years ago and now he was grasping for straws. He refused to believe that everyone was right about his father, that he just wanted him gone. He couldn't believe it, more like he refused to. After all what father didn't want their son to earn their honor. His just had a more forceful way of showing it. Gazing in the reflective metal, Zuko pulled at the red scarf, the soft cloth falling to revel a wide scar the covered his right eye. It didn't last long though.

"Zuko?" His uncle called from the door way, he quickly rewrapped his permanent injury and faced his uncle. "We're nearing the source of the distress call."

"Thank you uncle." Zuko stood, his regal air regained. Someday, he could face the world without fear that they would judge him by his mistake and not who he was, but not today. "I'll be up there in a moment."

F&W

"How could you!" Gran gran scolded, pacing about in front of her kneeling granddaughter. "I've told you countless times to stay away from that ship!"

"I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I broke the rules you set-"

"This has nothing to do with rules Katara, you could have been killed!" She kneeled in front of Katara. "Please, don't go near there again. I understand that new places seem fun, but please promise me you won't go near that ship again." Katara feebly nodded, knowing there was nothing left to gain from sitting on the stationary ship. At least the worst was over.

"Umm, sorry to interrupt your deep philosophical lecture but we have a problem." Sokka said through the doorway. Katara exited the small ice hut to where the rest of the village had gathered. A small Fire Navy vessel had docked into the ice. Among the soldiers, a young fire bender demanded that all of the elderly were to be brought out. "He says he's looking for the Avatar." Sokka whispered.

"This is all my fault." Katara replied, "I have to do something."

"Katara no!" Sokka tried to stop his sister as she pushed past the crowd.

"It's no use hiding him, I know he's here." Zuko shouted, his attention not on the young water bender that broke through the circle.

"Stop bothering them." Katara demanded. "They serve no purpose to you." The prince turned.

"And why's that peasant?" Zuko growled.

"Because I am the Avatar."

**AN: O.K. Just a few notes.**

**Yes, I know I made Zuko a little more inverted than in the show, I'll explain it later in the story. Fear not very little has changed about our favorite emo bad boy. I also know that Aang has not shown up yet in the story. Fear not, it is a plot devise, he'll show up later. How you ask? Here's a hint, ice floats. Sokka has not left, no, he has definitely not left. Can't leave behind one of the favorites can I? Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I'll see you next time. Read & Review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Review Response Time!**

**Unanimous: Thank's for reviewing, here's the next chapter! Enjoy.**

Zuko huffed and ordered that she was to be taken aboard the ship for further questioning. In hind sight it probably wasn't her brightest idea, but she had to admit as she boarded that the ship was pretty nice. Zuko had since marched ahead expecting her to follow, not pausing to notice her turn around.

"Who am I going to see?" She asked cooly to the guard next to her. Dumbfounded, the soldier shook his head.

"To talk to the prince of course." Katara looked down at her attire, and sighed. There was little time and she had to be sure that the ship was out of the way of the South Pole before revealing that she wasn't who she claimed.

"I have one last question."

F&W

"Where is the Avatar!" The captain demanded from the guard in the hall.

"She's in the restroom." The younger guard responded.

"For twenty minutes!" He shouted, "You idiot she's probably escaped by now."

"Actually, the bathroom has no windows, I can't see how-" The guard was cut off as his superior pushed past, he banging on the door.

"What are you doing in there?"

"Taking a bath," Katara called through the door, "it's not every day I get to use hot water."

"We don't have time for your nonsense!"

"I don't want to appear before the crown prince as a smelly peasant."

"He has more important matters to attend to then you."

"Then he can go do them. First impressions are shallow, but the most important. I refuse to be judged by the state I was in after an explosion. I would do the same for him."

"But he-"

"HUSH! I don't want to hear another word about him from you. Your biases won't rub off on me." The captain sighed, and turned not looking forward to what the prince would have to say about this.

F&W

Steam billowed out of the pipes that lined the ship's interior. Thick creaks and groans echoed from the engine room throughout the ship as the fading sunlight fell through the small windows. Several soldiers rushed back and forth, carrying out their daily duties as Katara was escorted down the hall. She had to admit, the metal work on the ship was extraordinary. None, however, was as grand as the main control room where the prince sat in one of the rarely used chairs.

"Where is the avatar, it's been two hours!" Zuko shouted above the scuffling feet of the ship mates.

"Right here." Katara stated at the end of the hall, "Sorry for the wait, I had a hard time drying my hair. So you wanted to question me?"

"You… haven't tried to escape." Zuko said suspiciously.

"Would you rather I had?" Katara smirked, something wasn't falling into place.

"No." Zuko stated blandly.

"Good, then we can settle this civilly."

"Since you've wasted so much of our time I'll have to keep this brief. How many elements have you mastered?"

"One."

"That would be water I assume."

"Yes."

"How well can you bend the other elements?"

"What do you mean?" Katara asked feigning confusion. "Aren't people only supposed to be able to bend one?"

"Most people yes, but the Avatar can bend all four," He paused, "Why didn't you know that?"

"The Avatar… so there's only one." Katara mused.

"Of course there's only one," Zuko said growing frustrated, "how could you not know that?" Katara stared at him blankly. "How could you not know that?" Zuko insisted.

"What exactly is an Avatar?" Katara asked, Zuko remained frozen on the spot. "I always assumed it was-"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Zuko shouted to no one. "I can't believe we captured a stupid girl instead of the Avatar. Now we'll have to send her back and start searching all over!"

"You won't have time for both." Katara said smugly, dropping her façade.

"What did you say?" Zuko said slowly, fighting to contain his anger.

"I overheard the captain, they have no idea where the flare originated from. It's not on the map. You'd be wasting months trying to find my village again." Katara smiled again, judging by the prince's reaction she was close to hitting home with her little speech. "Of course I don't mind, it's not like I have a dead line for finding the Avatar, I just wanted to get out of the house. As far as my family's concerned, you kidnapped me. So either you try and find my village again and waste months, or add another passenger to your ship and continue your search. Either way you lose."

"Listen you, you… peasant!" Zuko snarled, "I may have taken aboard a false Avatar, but I don't have to-"

"I wonder what your uncle would think if you killed an innocent little girl?" Katara sneered. Zuko glare lost its heat and became a cold force against her.

"You will stay aboard this ship, but you will remain a prisoner. GUARDS!" Zuko snapped his fingers. "Take this imposter to one of the cells below deck, make sure she is as uncomfortable as possible." The soldiers dragged Katara away, confused by the sudden change in the prince's attitude. She was thrown into a cramped cell, without windows. The darkness fell over her as the barred door closed, leaving her to bask in the night's shadow. A playful grinned danced across her face as the guards left the room for the night.

"Don't think I'll be in her for long." She smirked.

**AN: Chapter Two is done! I know these have been short, but they'll get longer once we get back to Sokka and all. Hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


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